Objects comprised of or coated with fiberglass, carbon fiber, wood, etc. may develop or incur surface fractures or through-fractures. Surface fractures are typically breaks, cracks, splits, etc., that occur or develop in the surface of an object, but do not extend entirely through the wall of an object (i.e., a hockey stick (shaft, hozel, or blade), a boat hull, etc.). Through-fractures are those breaks, cracks, splits, etc. that extend entirely through the wall of an object.
Conventional repair kits and methods of repair generally involve removing the fractured section altogether, replacing the fractured section and/or repairing the fracture. However, these kits and methods compromise the structural integrity of the object to be repaired because the repair does not restore and/or enhance the structural integrity of the repaired object, but rather, either creates one or more shear points where the replaced or repaired material contacts the original material or provides a temporary repair that is weaker than the original material. These conventional repair kits and methods of repair compromise the repaired section of the object and potentially compromise the safety of the person(s) using the repaired object. Additionally, these conventional repair kits and methods of repair are very costly, very labor intensive, and can drastically alter the appearance or performance of the repaired area.
In addition, objects made or formed from hollow support pieces and/or objects typically do not provide similar strength and support as compared to the same objects which are made of the same materials, but are solid in design and not hollow. However, hollow formed objects offer many advantages over solid formed objects including, but not limited to, hollow formed objects typically use less overall material and therefore are lighter in weight, more maneuverable and easier to transport. Additionally, because less material is used in the construction of hollow objects, these hollow objects typically cost less money to produce.
While objects that are hollow offer the above advantages, these hollow objects, when in use, may undergo sudden impact or extreme flexural stress, and may also undergo structural stress with use over time. Therefore, these hollow objects may develop fissures, develop cracks and/or fracture into multiple pieces. Once the hollow object is cracked or fractured, replacing the cracked section of the object, or completely replacing the fractured section of an object may either be very costly, or in many cases, not possible. In order to obtain a hollow object that is comparable in support and strength to the original uncracked or unfractured hollow object, a user is left with either purchasing, if possible and if available, a new hollow piece to replace the cracked or fractured piece of the object, or the user must replace the entire object all together. Both of these options are very costly and may take significant amounts of time.
Accordingly, there is a need for structural damage repair kits that provide great strength and yet are cost-effective. These elements and the kit should restore and/or enhance the structural integrity of fractured objects, reduce any potential shear points and typically cost much less than conventional repair kits and are much less labor intensive than conventional repair kits and methods.